 |
|
Vietnam’s 90,000 tonnes of durian to hit shelves in China (Photo: saurienggialai.com)
|
The information is based on a contract, which was signed on November 14 between Vina T&T Group and Sunwah Group of Hong Kong’s (China), said Radio the Voice of Vietnam.
According to Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tung, Chairman of Vina T&T Group, under the deal, Vietnam will send 4,500 containers, equivalent to 90,000 tonnes of durian, to the northern neighbour each year.
Furthermore, the two groups will work together in order to build a durian growing area in order to meet the import requirements via official channels set by Chinese importers.
Both sides will put the same brand on the package, a factor which is anticipated to introduce Vietnamese durian brand to Chinese consumers moving forward, said the executive.
Jesse Choi, regional director of Sunwah Southeast Asia, that boasts strengths in importing and exporting agricultural products, as well as a retail distribution channel in China, said that the overall quality of Vietnamese durian has improved over recent years, and that there remains plenty of room to boost the export of the fruit to the Chinese market.
To further promote exports, the two sides will co-operate to train farmers in the process of farming and harvesting in a bid to ensure quality standards are maintained, said Choi.
 |
|
Vietnamese durian is prepared for export (Photo: moit.gov.vn)
|
Sunwah will also send a technical team to assist Vina T&T in packaging and preservation techniques to ensure quality, as well as further improving the supply chain of Vietnamese agricultural products to China.
Le Viet Binh, an official of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), said that in order to compete with similar products from Thailand and Malaysia, Vietnamese businesses must comply with market regulations in order to maintain the reputation of the product and at the same time expand markets.
Sa Pa town among top 10 snowy destinations in Asia
Renowned tourism website Thetravel.com has named Sa Pa in the mountainous province of Lao Cai among the top 10 most attractive snowy destinations throughout Asia, reported by Radio the Voice of Vietnam.
According to the travel outlet, the local destination is ranked fifth in the list.
The website notes that when searching for online photos of this destination, it is usually common to see mountains and valleys covered in an array of greenery, hence the surprise when visitors spot snow in the area.
 |
|
The Mount Fansipan in Sapa is blanketed with around 60-centimeter-thick snow. (Photo: VOV)
|
“During winter, the town turns green to white, attracting those who want a chill hike up Mount Fansipan or Ham Rong Mountain. Vietnam’s winter wonderland is a place of awe,” says Thetravel.com.
Sa Pa was earlier named as the top cool weather holiday destination in Southeast Asia in 2018, according to Channel News Asia, a Singaporean English language Asian cable television news agency.
Located 350 km northwest of Hanoi, Sa Pa enjoys cool weather throughout the year. The temperature there rarely goes above 25 degrees Celsius and it never drops below 17 degrees Celsius, even during the “hottest” periods between June and August.
The northern town was also named among the top 10 places to visit in Southeast Asia, as selected by the readers of Rough Guides, a UK-based travel website.
Rounding off the top 10 best snowy destinations in Asia, as compiled by Thetravel.com, were Wadi Rum of Jordan, Hajar Mountains of Oman and the United Arab Emirates, Golan Heights of Israel, and Papua of Indonesia. This is in addition to Almaty of Kazakhstan, Ulaanbaatar of Mongolia, Taichung of Taiwan (China), Yongpyong Resort of the Republic of Korea, and Sapporo of Japan.
Hoi An to host ASEAN Music Festival 2022
The ASEAN Music Festival 2022 will take place from December 19 to 24 in Hoi An – a UNESCO-recognized ancient town in central Quang Nam province, according to the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
According to Radio the Voice of Vietnam, the event which is designed to celebrate 55 year of ASEAN Day is expected to offer artists from ASEAN member states a platform to exchange experience and gain greater insights into the quintessence of traditional music within the ASEAN community.
 |
|
The ASEAN Music Festival 2019 was held in Hai Phong city (Photo: haiphong.gov.vn)
|
It will also contribute to enriching activities within the framework of the closing of the National Tourism Year - Quang Nam 2002 and attracting more domestic and international tourists to Quang Nam, as well as strengthening international integration moving into a new era.
The Festival is also set to provide an opportunity for local artists to introduce the unique values of traditional Vietnamese art to international friends./
Vietnam and Thailand look toward 25 billion USD in trade
The upcoming official visit to Thailand by President Nguyen XuanPhuc and his attendance at the 29th APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in Bangkok from November 16-19 is expected to create a driving force to deepen bilateral ties and raise two-way trade, reported VNA.
 |
|
A garment factory in Vietnam (Photo: VNA)
|
In the first ten months of this year, two-way trade between Vietnam and Thailand hit 17.8 billion USD, up 22.8% annually. It is predicted to reach the target of 25 billion USD soon at this growth pace, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Department of Asia-Africa Markets.
The department said the two governments had established a Joint Trade Committee co-chaired by the Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade and the Thai Minister of Commerce to settle arising issues in economic and trade ties. The committee’s fourth meeting was held in April in Bangkok under the chair of the two ministers.
Vietnam, Thailand and other ASEAN members have also joined bilateral and multilateral deals like the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement, ASEAN’s free trade agreements with partner countries, particularly the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership – the world’s biggest free trade agreement that took effect in early 2022.
Since travel returned to normal following COVID-19, trade promotion activities like market survey trips, seminars, exhibitions and fairs have been held in-person.
Vietnam mainly exports manufactured and processed items to Thailand, which account for over 60% of Vietnam's total exports to the country, namely mobile phones and spare parts, machinery and equipment, computers, electronics and accessories, transport vehicles, metal products and apparel. Construction materials, especially iron and steel, are also Vietnam’s important currency earners.
However, Vietnam and Thailand’s exports are similar, especially agro-fishery products, creating competition. Thailand has so far allowed the import of only five types of Vietnamese fruits, namely white and red dragon fruits, lychee, longan and mango.
Nguyen ThanhHuy from the Vietnam Trade Office in Thailand said Thai consumers favour processed and packaged foods, so Vietnamese exporters should focus on building specific market strategies and trademarks with goods that satisfy local tastes like low sugar and low fat food, as well as e-commerce.
He advised them to meet technical standards and use modern technology in processing and preservation to maintain product quality during transportation, and join more exhibitions and fairs to promote products and seek partners.
Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien wished the Vietnamese Ambassador together with Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand continue supporting the Vietnam Trade Office to hold cooperation activities between the two countries, thus contributing to bilateral economic development and friendship./.